Another suspected bird flu case in China

Authorities in China have reported another possible bird flu case in the country, the fourth this year.

This latest case has appeared in the southern Guangdong province where a 44-year-old woman apparently developed symptoms of the bird flu virus on February 16th.

The suspected case comes just a week after the Hong Kong government reported China's third death from bird flu this year.

According to the Centre for Health Protection, the case had yet to be confirmed.

On the 20th February a 41-year old man from the Xixiangtang District of Nanning City, in China's southern Guangxi autonomous region died of the H5N1 bird flu virus.

Prior to his death he had apparently been in contact with sick and dead poultry; all who had contact with him have been placed under medical observation, but to date all remain healthy.

Of the 29 cases confirmed to date in China, 19 have been fatal.

Since 2003, according to the World Health Organisation, there have been 232 human deaths worldwide from the H5N1 strain out of 366 confirmed cases.